Illegal investigation into whistleblower

Published tisdag 13 augusti 2013 kl 17.23

The Chancellor of Justice is investigating a social services office that tried to identify a whistleblower.

The office, in a municipality in Jönköping County, tried to find out who had provided information to a journalist, arguing that it could not have been disclosed without violating an oath of confidentiality. As part of an internal investigation municipal employees tried to uncover the journalist’s sources.

It is illegal to try to trace whistleblowers in Sweden, punishable by fines and up to one year in prison.